Engine



Jam 37; 1941. v A. R. WUR'II'ELE I 23 9 0 ENGINE v Filed Oct. 18/1938 INVENTOR.

- ATTORNEY- Patented June 17, 1941 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINE Allan It. Wurtele, New Roads, La. Application October 18, 1938, Serial No. 235,551

- 4 Claims. (01. 123-488) This invention relates to internal combustion engines of the solid fuel injection type and more particularly to valve and fuel injection apparatus therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-. 7

vide novel apparatus wherein a valve and fuel injection mechanism of a solid fuel injection engine are combined in a novel manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel valve and guide means therefor in an internal combustion engine.

It is a further object to provide novel means embodying a fuel injection mechanism adapted to guide the valve during the reciprocal travel thereof.

A still further object is to provide novel valve and fuel injection mechanism for an internal combustion engine comprising only a small number of comparatively rugged parts which may be compactly arranged whereby the engine as a whole is greatly simplified, its reliability increased and installation, operation and maintenance costs decreased.

Still another object of the invention is to provide novel valve and fuel injection apparatus comprising a minimum number of moving parts whereby friction and inertia losses are greatly reduced and the mechanical efficiency and adaptability for high speed operation are correspondingly increased.

The above and further objects and novel features of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description when the same is read in connection with. the accompanying drawing. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing is for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being primarily had for this latter purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawing wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, 7

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and with parts broken away of one cylinder of an internal combustion engine embodying one form of the present invention, and

Fig. 2 is a detail view partly in section and with parts broken away, the section being taken substantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

A single embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, by way of example, as applied to a power cylinder 4 of a two cycle, valve-in-head, solid fuel injection engine, said power cylinder having cooling fins 5 cast integrally therewith and a piston 6 reciprocabletherein. A cylinder head 1 comprising a separate casting is securely mounted on cylinder 4 by suitable bolts (not shown) and is preferably provided with an exhaust port 8 concentric with said cylinder and opening into an exhaust passage 9 extending diametrically through said head.

A novel valve mechanism operable'in combination with novel fuel injection and guiding means is provided by the present invention and comprises a minimum number of light moving parts, the same being thereby adapted for ,efiicient and rapid operation on high speed engines, such as aviation engines. As shown, the valve mechanism includes an enlarged head portion II and a'hollow stem 12, said head portion being adapted to close port 8 to passage 9 by engaging a seat formed in cylinder head I at the periphery of said port. The interior of valve head portion II and a recess 6 in the upper end of piston 6 cooperate to form a: central precombustion chamber 6w when said piston is in substantially top center position (Fig. 1).

tem. I2 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots l3 extending throughout the {major portion of the length thereof and is slidably mounted in and guided by the walls of an opening l4 in cylinder head I, valve l I, I2 being adapted to reciprocate within said opening to control the flow of exhaust gases through port 8.

As a further guide for stem l2 during the reciprocal travel thereof a novel hollow barrel or spindle i5 is mounted concentrically within said stem in close engagement therewith. A plurality of fins or ribs iii are formed integrally with said spindle, said fins being suitably circumferentially spaced to extend radially from said spindle through slots l3, preferably beyond the periphery of said stem. Thus, in addition to guiding the latter, said ribs also provide an effective cooling means conducting the heat from said valve stem andspindle l5 to the medium surrounding the valve mechanism.

A flange I! formed integrally with spindle W, l 6 adjacent the base thereof is secured to cylinder head I by suitable means, such as bolts 18. The unitary rigid structure composed of said spindle and flange is provided with a series of openings [9 through which the arcuate sections l2 of stem l2 extend, said sections having a close sliding fit with the walls of said openings. A portion of said spindle extends downwardly beyond the base of said flange through opening l4 in the cylinder head, thus providing an added guide for valve stem 12. The length of slots I3 is preferably such that when valve H, I2 is closed said slots terminate a slight distance beneath the base of flange l'l. Novel means carried by spindle I5 are provided for injecting fuel centrally into said precombustion chamber 20 and the annular main combustion chamber formed between cylinder head i and piston 6. The fuel is sprayed through an orifice 2| of a nozzle 22, the latter being threaded into the bored-out, lower portion of hollow spindle l5 and having a centrally disposed bore 23 communicating with said orifice. A conical valve 24 is provided for controlling the fuel flow through said nozzle and is carried by a plunger 25 reciprocally mounted in bore 23 and adapted to shut off the fuel flow by engaging a seat formed at the upper edge of nozzle orifice 2!. Valve 24 is normally held in yielding engagement with said seat by suitable resilient means, such as a coil spring 26 mounted within the bore of spindle l and interposed between the end of said bore and a spring seat 21, the latter being adapted by direct engagement with the upper face of plunger 25 to transmit the spring pressure thereto.

Bore 23 is connected by a plurality of radial passages 28 with an internal circumferential groove 29 in spindle l5 and said groove 'is connected in turn by a'fuel'passa'ge 38 to a conduit 31, said last named 'fuel passage 'being bored through the wall of spindle "f5, one of ribs 1-6 and flange l7. Conduit 3| is fed'ameasuredquantity of fuel under 'pressureat predetermined intervals by a suitable fuel pump -(not shown) in a manner well understood in the art. "When the fuel pressure in bore 23 is built up to exceed the pressure of spring 26, plunger "2'5 is moved upwardly away from the valve seat and fuel is inje'cted'into the combustion chamber.

'Valve l i, I2 is normally held in closed'po'sition by the action of suitable resilient means, such as a compressed coil spring 32, interposed between flange H and an annular flange '33 fixed to a cap 3 3 which is threadedly secured'tothe upper end of stem 1 2. Cap 34 is provided with a second flange 35 which extends downwardly and engages the outer surface of valve stem I2 to hold arcuate sections I2 of "the latter in position. After'cap 3'4 is threaded into operative position the same may be locked against inadvertent or accidental release by a pin 36 inserted into the threaded portion of cap'ii l and extending radially through one of slots HE. A rocker arm "31 suitably actuated by the usual cam means (not'showm is adapted to control the movement'ofvalve I I, f2 to open port 8 by engaging the upper surface of cap 34.

In order 'to'faicilitatethe flow of exhaust gases from the cylinder andprevent the'accumulation of exhaust'g'ases inthe'valvehead portion of precombustion chamber 6a., a'group of circumferentially spaced openings 38 is provided invalve-stem l2, said openings constituting a fiuid passage from said valve interior toexhaust passage 9 when valve H, I2 is opened. However, when said valve is closed as shown in 'Fig. 2, said openings are inoperative as passages "being confined in the space between spindle l5 and the walls of opening Id. Thus, a completescavenging'becomespossible when valve 1 I, I2 is openedsince-thegases normally trapped in the interior of the hollow valve head are swept'out'through' openings 38 by the upwardly flowing scaveninggases.

There is thus provided a'novel valve and fuel injection mechanism operable in combination with the power cylinder of a high speed engine to produce central 'scavengingand-central fuel injection in said cylinder. Themechanism whi'ch comprises comparatively few compact, rugged parts which are'lightinweightis'suited for use on aviation and automobile engines because of its light and reliability and'forhigh-speed engines of any class 'b'ecause'of "the limited'number of parts set in motion during operation of the mechanism. The reduction of friction "and inertia losses and the increased responsiveness of the movingparts causes a corresponding increase in operating efficiency of the engine. Furthermore, the provision of guiding fins increases the heat conductivity and emissivity of the mechanism and eliminates the danger of overheating and failure of parts and further produces a substantially uniform temperature over the various moving and stationary parts thereby aiding the mechanical efficiency and smoothness of operation by causing a uniform expansion of all parts.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto. For example, it will now be apparent *to those skilled in the art that some different number of cooling fins than is shown might be utilized and that said fins might be of some greater or lesser length or of a-different shape.

Although only a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it is to beexpres'sly understood that the same is not limited thereto. For example, it will now be apparent to those skilled in the art that some different number of cooling fins than is shown might be utilized'and that said fins might be of some greater or lesser length or of a different shape. The novel valve and fuel injection means may, of course, be employed in other types of engines than the oneishown. Various changes may also be made in the design and arrangement of parts illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 'For a definition of the invention reference will be had primarily to the appended claims.

'What is claimed is:

1. In an internal combustion enginea power cylinder having a port therein, a .valve for said port having a hollow stem provided with longitudinal slots extending to one end thereof, a unitary guide member in said valve stem, and fins integral'with-said member extending through said slots, said member'being-supported by said cylinder.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a valve having a head portion and a hollow stem, the latter having at least one longitudinal slot therein extending to the end thereof opposite said head, means having an annular groove for receiving said'end-o'f the stem,-one wall of said groove having threaded engagement and the other having sliding engagement with said stem, a unitary guiding element s'lidably engaging the inner wall of said stem and having a portionextending outwardly through said slot, and means for fixedly securing said last-named portion to a stationary support.

3. In apparatusof the-class described, a valve having a head portion and a hollow stem, the latter having atleastone longitudinal slot therein extending to-the end thereof opposite said head, and means having an annular groove for receiving said end of the stem, one wall of said groove having threaded engagement and" the other having sliding engagement with said stem.

4. In apparatus of the class described, a valve having ahead portion and a hollow stem, said stern having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal slots therein extending to the end thereof opposite said head, a guiding element slidablyengaging the inner wall of said stem and having cooling fins extending outwardly through said slots, and means associated with said fins for securing said element to-a stationary support. 

